WTI oil prices have collapsed below 80 dollars per barrel

On Tuesday, the US stock market showed mixed dynamics caused by large‑scale profit‑taking in the artificial intelligence sector. By the end of the day, the Dow Jones Index (US30) rose by 0.64%. The S&P 500 Index (US500) fell by 0.57%. The Technology Index NASDAQ (US100) closed lower by 1.89%. Chipmakers suffered significant losses: Intel plunged by 8.5%, AMD by 7.3%, Micron by 6.2%, while Broadcom and Nvidia declined by 4.4% and 2.4%. At the same time, SpaceX shares rose by 4.8%, extending their gains after last Friday’s IPO on news of a planned acquisition of Cursor for 60 billion dollars. Additional support for the market came from declining government bond yields, triggered by falling oil prices, which noticeably eased investors’ inflation fears. This occurred ahead of the June Federal Reserve meeting, where rates are expected to remain unchanged, although analysts do not rule out hawkish rhetoric from Fed Chair Warsh regarding further balance sheet reduction.

European indices closed in the green yesterday. By the end of the day, Germany’s DAX (DE40) rose by 0.07%, France’s CAC 40 (FR40) closed up by 0.75%, Spain’s IBEX 35 (ES35) gained 0.69%, and the UK’s FTSE 100 (UK100) ended the session higher by 0.61%. Investor sentiment remained supported by expectations of a peace agreement with Iran and the resumption of safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

Palladium (XPD) prices stabilized near 1,350 dollars per ounce after reaching an eight‑month low, supported by easing Middle East tensions and short‑covering. Precious metals were also positively influenced by declining US Treasury yields. Despite a monthly decline of 3.84%, palladium prices still exceed last year’s level by 30.39%. Market participants are now assessing supply risks, demand prospects from the automotive sector, and awaiting a series of central bank meetings.

On Tuesday, crude oil prices (WTI) recorded a sharp drop of more than 6%, pushing the price per barrel down to 75.5 dollars – the lowest level since early March. This decline almost completely erased the previous rally triggered by the Middle East conflict, amid news of the imminent restoration of exports from Persian Gulf countries. The easing of tensions is supported by the likely signing of a memorandum between the US and Iran, which will ensure unimpeded tanker passage through the Strait of Hormuz. At the same time, US strategic reserves have fallen to their lowest level in 43 years. Meanwhile, Iranian supplies will most likely be directed toward replenishing China’s depleted inventories.

The US natural gas prices (XNG) increased by more than 2%, reaching 3.2 dollars per MMBtu and showing positive dynamics for the third consecutive day. The main drivers of growth were fexpectations of hot weather, expected to remain above seasonal norms until early July, forcing power plants to increase fuel consumption to support air‑conditioning demand.

On Tuesday, Japan’s Nikkei 225 (JP225) rose sharply by 0.13%, China’s FTSE China A50 closed lower by 0.81%, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng (HK50) fell by 1.40%, and Australia’s ASX 200 (AU200) closed higher by 0.04%.

The Australian dollar (AUD) consolidated above 0.70 USD, continuing its recovery after a two‑month low. This was supported by the hawkish stance of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA): despite keeping the base rate at 4.35% at the June meeting, Governor Michele Bullock emphasized that inflation risks remain high and demand must slow further. Although the RBA paused to assess the impact of the previous three rate hikes, Bullock did not rule out further monetary tightening. The central bank’s hawkish tone led investors to price in a 50% probability of another rate hike by the end of the year.